Tens of thousands of people are estimated to have attended a pro-Palestine rally in London on Saturday, coinciding with Nakba Day and the same day as a far-right demonstration led by Tommy Robinson. The Metropolitan Police deployed around 4,000 officers, along with armoured vehicles, police horses, dogs, drones and helicopters to prevent clashes between the two marches. A total of 43 arrests were made across both events.
The pro-Palestine rally, organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, began in South Kensington and proceeded to Waterloo Place. Organisers claimed at least 250,000 attendees, while police had earlier estimated 30,000. Demonstrators carried banners reading 'Bristol stands with Palestine', 'Stop Trump, Stop Farage', and 'Free Palestinian Hostages', with many wearing keffiyehs. One protester held a St George's Cross bearing the words 'have a heart'.
Labour MP Diane Abbott addressed the crowd, describing a 'common enemy' in the far right, which she called 'viciously rightwing, viciously racist, anti-black, anti-Muslim and viciously antisemitic'. She urged unity to fight racism, fascism and antisemitism. Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called for a change in policy rather than personalities, criticising both the government and the far right, saying their hatred would not build homes, improve hospitals or end homelessness.
Zarah Sultana, co-founder of Your Party, criticised Andy Burnham as 'not an alternative' to Keir Starmer, calling him 'another establishment politician cut from the same Zionist cloth'. Labour MP Apsana Begum said the movement would not be divided by the far right. The far-right Unite the Kingdom march, led by Tommy Robinson, also took place in central London, but no major clashes were reported.
